1. Field of The Invention
The present invention is an apparatus for securely holding the feeding bowl of a dog or other animal securely in place, the apparatus being mountable on a wall or a post, or on the wires or mesh of a cage such as a chain link fence.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dogs and other animals are frequently kept in kennels or stalls for care, safety, training, recuperation and/or supervision. Such stalls or cages usually have at least one wall made of wire or mesh such as a chain link or chicken wire fence. The feeding of such caged animals has always posed a problem from the spilling of food. This problem is especially prevalent with large and aggressive animals such as dogs that are prone to tip or topple their feeding bowls as they eat. Aside from increased time and labor for cleanup, spilled food which accumulates in a cage may pose a health problem to the animal by attracting pests and providing a breeding ground for disease. It is therefore of great importance to reduce the occasions of spilled food or water in an animal cage.
Several animal feeder support devices have been developed such as the bracket of U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,951. However, the bracket of this invention is designed to be mounted on a horizontal wooden board, and the feeding bowl may be easily dislodged from the bracket. Similarly, the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,305 does not prevent dislodgement of the feeding bowl. The invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,461 describes a cumbersome and bulky structure including support struts that requires a hole to be cut in the chain link fence to receive a support frame. The invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,071 describes a free standing feeder with self contained moat to prevent insects form accessing the animal feed; however, this invention could easily be toppled by a large animal thereby allowing for easy spillage of the feed and water. None of the prior art feeder holders provide a simple, detachable support structure that is capable of securely holding the animal feeding bowl in place to prevent dislodgement by a large animal.
The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a detachable apparatus for securely holding an animal feeding bowl that is capable of being securely be mounted to either the mesh of the animal cage or on appropriate support hooks on a wall, post or other surface. The invention includes a circular peripheral support member for holding an animal feeding bowl. The circular support member is attached to a vertical bar that extends above and below the circular support member. The lower section of the vertical bar includes an inwardly bent flange for engagement with an opening in the fence, or with a support member (e.g. a hook or eyelet) mounted on a surface. The upper section of the vertical bar terminates in a sleeve through which two other slidable members are provided. The first of these slidable members is adjacent to the circular support member and used to hold the feeding bowl in place. The second slidable member is positioned between the first slidable member and the vertical bar and is used to engage the entire apparatus to a wall or fence.
The first slidable member includes a bend defining a lower section that slides into the animal feed bowl, holding the bowl securely in place against the circular support member. The upper end of the first slidable member includes an inwardly bent flange that may be grasped to slide the first slidable member up and down in the sleeve. Sliding this member down engages the animal bowl; sliding this member up releases the bowl for removal, cleaning and refilling.
The second slidable member includes an outwardly bent hook structure at the top, and an inwardly bent flange at the bottom. The second slidable member works in conjunction with the lower portion of the fixed vertical bar for engagement with a fence or support devices. To attach the apparatus to a fence or wall supports, the flange in the lower section of the vertical bar is engaged with the fence or a support member on the wall. The apparatus is then raised to a vertical position, and the hook of the second slidable member is brought down, engaging another area of the fence or another support member on the wall. A bowl is placed on the circular support member, and the first slidable member is brought down so that it engages the bowl, thereby holding it firmly in place.
The bowl may be released by pulling the first slidable member in an upward direction, and the entire apparatus may be released from the fence or wall by pulling the second slidable member in an upward direction and disengaging the lower flange.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a convenient animal feed or water bowl support structure that may be securely but detachably attached to the mesh of an animal cage, the structure also being capable of firmly holding the feed bowl in place.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a detachable animal feed or water bowl holder for secure but detachable engagement with a pair of surface-mounted supports (e.g. hooks or eyelets) located on a flat surface (e.g. a wall or a post), the holder being capable of firmly holding the feed bowl in place.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple removable animal feed or water bowl holder having a circular support for receiving the feed bowl, a first slidable member for securely engaging the bowl to the holder, and a second slidable member for securely engaging the holder with the mesh of a fence or to a pair of support structures on a surface.
Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed descriptions and the claims herein.